Chandler Council greenlights campaign sign ordinance
Each sign to list responsible party, phone number
Courtesy of City of Chandler
An ordinance about campaign signs was tentatively adopted by the Chandler City Council at its July 17 meeting — but not until a lengthy discussion was held earlier in the week about postponing the vote or amending the ordinance.
An ordinance about campaign signs was tentatively adopted by the Chandler City Council at its July 17 meeting — but not until a lengthy discussion was held earlier in the week about postponing the vote or amending the ordinance.
Chandler Council member O.D. Harris ended up voting in favor of the July 17 regular meeting consent agenda that included Ordinance No. 5133.
That ordinance would authorize the removal of “illegal” temporary signs in the public right of way and requiring signs to be marked with the name and phone number of the person or entity responsible for posting the sign, if council gives it final approval next month.
Harris tried to convince Mayor Kevin Hartke and other council members, at a July 14 study session, to either meet in executive session or find another way to either delay a vote on or amend the ordinance to address sign content.
He said he wanted to add language to the ordinance that would address “false signs that attack citizens or businesses.”
City Attorney Kelly Schwab said Ordinance No. 5133 isn’t intended to address sign content, truthful or otherwise. She repeated some of what she told council members, including Harris, in a Feb. 24 work session about what cities don’t regulate, historically and, looking court case precedents, run into constitutional issues in regulating sign content.
Harris asked if there could be an executive session held between the July 14 study session and July 17 regular meeting. Hartke said no, and added that even if any council members wanted to table a vote on Ordinance 5133, he wouldn’t support such a motion, as the provisions are critical to have in place for the fall 2025 election cycle.
Council is taking a $475 million bond package proposal and two charter amendment proposals to voters on Nov. 4.
State law prohibits cities from removing political signs in a public right of way from 71 days before an election until 15 days after the election.
Chandler’s ordinances must be approved twice by council at separate regular meetings and then become law 30 days after the final approval.
That would make Ordinance 5133, if given final approval by Council at its Aug. 11 meeting, law on Sept. 11.
Schwab said city staff will still have some time to set up public education and begin enforcing provisions of the new ordinance as soon as it takes effect, even though that effective date will be a few weeks into the Arizona “hands-off” temporary sign period.
Last fall, a Maricopa County Justice Court dismissed a case, without prejudice, against Harris after sign-tampering allegations were made, leading Chandler Police to create a report and turn it over to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Harris and his wife, Elizabeth Ward, released statements in October, both saying they were unfairly targeted and investigated to an excessive degree by police regarding taken and/or damaged “No O.D.” campaign signs after allegations were made by Ann Adams, William Bullock and at least one other person. He said little, if any, action was taken about defacing and/or damage or removal of Harris’ campaign signs.
A staff report states the intent behind Ordinance 5133 is to ensure that the people or entities that post temporary signs in a public right of way are held more responsible for the location and placement of signs.
It authorizes the city’s zoning administrator, or their designee — in Chandler’s case code enforcement officers — to remove “illegal” temporary signs from the public rights of way and require all temporary signs to be marked with the name and phone number of a responsible person.
Schwab added that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled local government officials and staff cannot make distinctions about signs. Therefore, ordinances such as 5133 must be applied evenly to all types of temporary signs on city rights of way.
Harris told Independent Newsmedia he’s looking forward to meeting with Schwab and/or council members in September to discuss ways candidates and the city can address defamatory or untruthful content in the 2026 election cycle and beyond.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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